Animals that can make the Earth shake when they have sex

No other animal can change the Earth through sex, except this one.

Scientists from the University of Idaho and Indiana University published a study in the journal Geomorphology. According to the study, each time this animal comes to breed, it can affect the Earth. What kind of animal is it? Why can it put our planet in danger?

Fish are born in rivers and live in the sea.

The animal we want to mention here is salmon, (English name is Salmon. Salmon is the common name of fish species belonging to the Salmonidae family. The name salmon comes from the word salmo (Latin origin) and the word salmo comes from salire (meaning "to jump").

They live along the coasts of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Therefore, salmon are divided into two types: salmo (Atlantic salmon) and Oncorhynchus (Pacific salmon) .

According to a new study, it turns out that when it's time to have sex , they actually shake the entire Earth. Their power - over millions of years - can move mountains, change the geology of the area where they lay their eggs, and even help entire species evolve.

Salmon can "move mountains and fill seas".

Salmon have a special feature that is different from many other fish species in that they are born in freshwater areas such as rivers and streams, then migrate to the sea, then return to freshwater to reproduce . Mother salmon lay eggs in nests at the bottom of the river, then they will incubate these eggs for many months. After that, the eggs hatch into baby fish, they will swim around the nest to feed. When they reach about 15 cm in length, the salmon will swim to the sea. It is estimated that only 10% of salmon eggs survive to this stage.

Once large enough, salmon will migrate to the sea to settle for about 1-3 years.

After a journey of thousands of kilometers, salmon migrate to the sea and settle for about 1-3 years. The body chemistry of the young fish changes, allowing them to live in salt water. When they reach reproductive age, the salmon will return to the river where they were born to give birth to a new generation of salmon. Scientists believe that the reason salmon can return to the same river is thanks to olfactory memory.

It can be said that the journey of salmon overcoming many hardships to return to the "old place" is considered the most special natural phenomenon. They have to jump higher than the water flow to overcome the high waterfall. Not only that, they also have to swim at the fastest speed possible. Although the salmon continuously fail and are swept away by the water, they are not discouraged, continuing to jump until they succeed.

And if they are lucky enough not to be eaten by bears, wolves or eagles, the salmon will have the opportunity to swim upstream 1-2 more times to complete their reproductive mission.

As impressive as it is, scientists believe that the salmon spawning season is the cause of the Earth's impact.

The reason why every time salmon have sex, the Earth shakes

First, we need to know that salmon sex is not as normal as other animals. Females lay eggs, males release sperm into the water, and then the eggs are fertilized. Females rub against shorelines to create nests and lay eggs there, and this is also the reason why the Earth's terrain can change.

Scientists have attempted to model the impact of sediment moving through the layers of rock that shaped the landscape over millions of years. They have found that one of the biggest drivers of this process is salmon migration.

When creating their nests, salmon also inadvertently lower the slope of the stream, thereby making the two banks more susceptible to erosion. What is special is that the erosion rate is getting faster, sand and rock particles are also more easily pushed downstream. Gradually, the terrain of the whole area will change.

“Salmon don’t just move sediments,” says Alex Fremier, the study’s lead author. “They change the characteristics of the streambed, so as the water flows, more and more soil, sand, and gravel are carried away.” As a result, the bedrock beneath is exposed, increasing the risk of erosion in the area.

Salmon swim upstream to find a place to mate.

It is also important to note that different species of salmon have different impacts on the landscape and environment. For example, Chinook salmon (the largest species in the Pacific) can cause more erosion in the same amount of time than many other smaller fish because they carry so much sediment.

With this research, experts understand that a single species can still have a strong impact on terrain, landscape and environment. The presence of every species plays an important role in nature.

The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Idaho and Indiana University, was published in the journal Geomorphology.